Chiefs net equaliser in last-gasp effort
Lentjies put Maritzburg ahead from the penalty spot midway through the first half, and another upset victory was on the cards – until midfielder Reneilwe Letsholonyane scored in the last minute of the referee’s optional time for Chiefs.
However, Maritzburg’s second draw of the 2015/16 season left them at the base of the standings, where they have the same points as Pretoria University but a weaker goal difference, despite them having played two games more than Tuks.
The KwaZulu-Natalians and Tuks are two points behind Jomo Cosmos, while Chiefs moved into third spot on goal difference with their sixth draw of the season.
Cosmos will have a chance to increase the gap in the bottom three when they host Chippa United at Olen Park in Potchefstroom this afternoon, but Tuks are not fixtured until December 13.
During the preparations for last night’s Round 11 encounter, coach Clive Barker promised an attacking approach despite his team’s recent league troubles, and the “Team of Choice” showed intent by having three attempts at goal in the opening 10 minutes, while Chiefs had none and apparently opted to build up slower than the hosts.
But it was the home team’s young goalkeeper, Tawfeeq Salie, who had to make the first major save of the game when Chiefs striker Bernard Parker attempted to curl the ball into the top corner after an interaction with diminutive midfielder Hendrick Ekstein on the edge of the box.
However, Barker’s side soon got the early goal they desired when Lentjies beat Amakhosi goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo from the penalty spot in the 20th minute.
This came after veteran Chiefs left-back Tsepo Masilela handled a cross that Maritzburg attacking midfielder Deolin Mekoa had sent into the box from the left flank.
Twelve minutes later Khuzwayo had little trouble dealing with a close-range header from Maritzburg striker Mohammed Anas.
At this stage Chiefs fans probably expected a more attacking game from the Soweto giants, but Barker’s desperate men sought to give their more-fancied opponents as little room to operate as possible on the municipal pitch.
The hosts were clearly extremely conscious of what could happen if they allowed the defending champions to settle into their stride, and this meant working overtime for Barker’s midfielders and defenders, but there were strong signs of a Chiefs resurgence near the break.
When the teams returned for the second period, Bafana Bafana midfielder George Lebese saw his free kick from the right edge of the box sail over the Maritzburg woodwork and, at the other end later on, Evans Rusike also sent a shot over the crossbar from far out.
Lebese went a bit closer to scoring in the 75th when his shot off Ekstein’s short pass grazed the upright, to goalkeeper Salie’s relief.
Lebese finally had something to smile about in the seventh minute of optional time as his header into the box was struck home by an advancing Letsholonyane past a number of Maritzburg defenders.
Barker’s men will have plenty of time to analyse the result, as their next game will be their last of the year – against Platinum Stars at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on December 20.